


Keeping Company

by huxaholic



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ghost Kylo Ren, Ghosts, Haunted Houses, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Mpreg, Other: See Story Notes, Pregnant Armitage Hux, Teen Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-12
Packaged: 2018-08-20 12:10:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8248270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/huxaholic/pseuds/huxaholic
Summary: When 18 year old Armitage falls pregnant by mistake Brendol Hux decides to move the whole family away to stop anyone finding out about the disgrace. The house they move to is haunted though, but despite that Armitage isn't scared by the presence he often feels near him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry I'm late again in sharing something! I'm still writing this and am about half way done with the second part I think? I'll share it as soon as it's done!
> 
> TAGS/CONTENT: Brendol is not very nice about his son at all. Also mentions of Brendol cheating on his wife, and Armitage's mum dying (in the past). Also, Kylo is a ghost so he obviously died at some point. It's a little bit of a spoiler what happened, but I'll put it in the notes for the next chapter so if you want to know you can.
> 
> Please remember that if you don't like mpreg you aren't obligated to read.

The sound of a door slamming caused Armitage to jolt awake, his heart racing at the sudden noise. Annoyed with himself for the fear it triggered and then at whoever had done it, he huffed, turning over in his bed and wanting to fall back asleep quickly. It didn't seem likely to happen, though. Being in a new house was unsettling enough, but someone was now stomping along the corridor, and barely a second later the door to his room was flung open.

"Armitage!"

Sitting up and doing the best to keep the covers over himself, despite being fully dressed in his pyjamas, Armitage blinked in the light, dread flooding him.

"Don't you dare slam doors in my house!"

"I haven't been up," he said meekly, hoping his father would believe him. Brendol Hux was a broad towering man, and it was hard not to wither under his disapproving glare.

Never one to admit a mistake to his children, or anyone considered his inferior, Brendol simply glowered, making Armitage glad of the covers hiding him but wishing for something more.

"I'd better not find out you're lying to me, boy," he spat in warning. After another tense, unbearable few seconds, he turned on his heel and closed Armitage's door a little too firmly.

Shaking, Armitage forgot to lie back down and instead stared blankly into the darkness, at the spot where his father had just stood. He felt unbearably cold, his father's hatred and disappointment crushing him. It took him a while to realise there were tears in his eyes. They stung as he blinked, falling into the darkness. Armitage had promised himself he wouldn't cry. He'd promised...

It seemed stupid now. Nothing he did mattered. He was a complete failure. What did it matter if he cried? No one cared. He'd already disgraced himself irreparably in his father's eyes. Too much like his whore of a mother, Brendol had spat, never acknowledging the truth of it: that _he'd_ been the one cheating on his first wife, and that when he'd freed himself of that entanglement and had married Armitage's mother he'd yet again been the one to be unfaithful. Armitage still wondered if that unhappiness, that betrayal, had quickened his mother's passing. All too soon she was gone, and even after ten years without her Armitage still ached with loss. Especially now. Now, he was desperate for kindness and compassion, and had nowhere to turn to for it. He'd certainly get none from his father or stepmother, and they'd moved away from his home and where he'd gone to school. The friends he'd made were two states away now, and he certainly wouldn't be allowed to make new ones - not ones who knew who Armitage's father was.

Armitage looked down, realising that his hand had settled over his lower stomach, at the point where a new life grew inside of him. It had been a mistake - a _complete_ mistake - but after realising what had happened, he hadn't been able to give it up. It had taken more strength than Armitage knew he possessed to weather his father's rage and disappointment, and to survive all the attempts to get him to terminate the pregnancy. The last thing Brendol had said on the matter, before ignoring it completely, was that Armitage was weak and pathetic, and that the _thing_ inside of him would shrivel up and die anyway.

The thought still terrified Armitage. Despite reassuring himself it wouldn't happen, the fear lingered. The moment he'd found out he was pregnant his world had shifted. The then still-awaited results to exams he'd taken and conditional offers to Ivy League universities seemed so unimportant. Armitage knew he was smart and could do almost anything he wanted, but the future he'd been pushed towards wasn't one of his own choosing. He felt like a puppet, whose too-short strings had been manipulated every step of the way by his father. Truthfully, Armitage hadn't known what he wanted. He still didn't, beyond the immediate desire to care for his child.

Exhausted by his mind running away from him, Armitage finally lay down, pulling the covers high to keep warm. It wasn't that the new house was cold, it was that he was. A new degree of loneliness was starting to take hold, and it chilled him to the core.

-

It was quickly apparent to Armitage that their new house was... different. It was about as old as their last home, but moved in a different way. The floorboards seemed to creak of their own volition, and doors slipped free of their frames when no breeze was there to disturb them. Once or twice, slamming could be heard, and could never be accounted for.

Armitage also felt like they were being watched.

His father wasn't the sort to believe in ghosts or spirits, and treated the odd occurrences as annoyances. Armitage's stepmother seemed more perturbed, and his step-sister was actually afraid. About a week after moving in, one of her dolls had slipped from her dresser, and she'd woken everyone up with her screaming. She refused to sleep without the lights on.

Armitage, on the other hand, had other things to concern himself with. When his father wasn't ignoring him, he was actively criticising him. Even the clothes he wore - which had garnered no response before - drew disapproving glares. It was abundantly clear Armitage could do nothing right, and he took to staying in his room as much as possible, trying to keep out of the way and save himself from unkind comments and hostility.

His room became his sanctuary. He couldn't quite explain why, but it always felt more peaceful there. Nothing untoward ever happened, unlike in the rest of the house, and when he felt eyes upon him, they weren't cold and staring, but more companionable, as if someone benevolent was watching over him. Armitage wanted to imagine it was his mother, as foolish as he knew that notion was, but whoever or whatever it was, it was one of the few things that didn't cause him stress. He welcomed the unusual atmosphere of his room when whatever it was was present.

-

Before long, he started to show. It was subtle at first, but Armitage noticed the difference. The nausea was abating and the waistband of his boxers felt a little tighter. On one of his trips out while his father and stepmother were at work, he bought a mirror at a thrift store. It was tall with little blue tiles framing it, and although it was awkward to carry it was exactly what he wanted for his room. After setting it in place, Armitage had examined his figure from all angles, his hand resting on the subtle swell where his body was changing.

He'd noticed the change in atmosphere as he'd looked at himself, but hadn't really registered it. But now, it was something that happened, and was easy to tune out, like all the other peculiarities of the house.

"You're pregnant."

That, though, was new. Armitage froze, horror tearing through him and leaving him immobilized. The soft distinctly male voice had come from within his room, but there was no one there. Only himself.

"They don't talk about it."

The disembodied voice sounded... sad? Neck creaking far too loudly, Armitage turned with painstaking effort, trying to see where the voice came from. No one was there. He tried to fight the fear rising within him.

"I'm sorry, please don't be frightened," the voice pleaded.

"Wh-who are you!?" Armitage demanded, his voice far too tight in his throat.

"Kylo. You're Armitage, right?"

"What do you want!?"

"I didn't mean to startle you."

The answer was unhelpful, but the voice sounded just as soft and as apologetic as before. Armitage searched the room desperately for the source, but still saw nothing.

"Would you like me to leave you alone?"

Dumbly, Armitage nodded. Something in the air around him changed, and he shivered, feeling exposed - violated, almost. The voice hadn't sounded unfriendly, but the thought of being watched by a stranger was deeply unsettling. It didn't quite compute either. Armitage was too rational to believe that a ghost or a spirit had just been talking to him, yet that's what his sense told him had happened.

It was too bizarre. Too strange. Shaken, Armitage tugged his sweater back on and retreated into a book, too uncertain of anything to leave his room or move away from the safety of his little corner and the comforter spread across his knees.

He decided he must have been hallucinating.

-

The change was undeniable though. Armitage no longer felt the companionable presence with him in his room. Even the frequency of doors slamming, items falling and floorboards creaking changed. The housed seemed quieter. Armitage felt it keenly. He hadn't had an opportunity to make friends since they'd moved, but the presence had been familiar and he missed it.

Particularly at night, he remained alert for as long as possible, hoping for the familiar presence. Sometimes he wondered if he'd imagined the whole thing, but there was such a marked difference it was impossible to ignore. His room no longer felt like a sanctuary, and there was no other explanation as to why.

When, at last, Armitage felt a flicker of the familiar presence as he was falling asleep, he sat bolt upright, already calling out.

"Wait!" he pleaded. "Kylo?"

Something seemed to linger nearby, and Armitage gave a sigh of relief.

"Can you talk?"

"I can," came the hesitant reply.

"Would... would you _like_ to talk?" Armitage asked.

"I suppose."

The voice sounded sulky. Hurt. Armitage shifted on the bed, making himself more comfortable in a sitting position.

"I missed you," he said quietly. Silence stretched out for what felt like an eternity, forcing Armitage to break it. "I'm sorry I got scared before."

"Well I did scare you..."

"Is it Kylo?" Armitage asked, eyes searching the darkness around him, trying to catch a glimpse of what was apparently a male spirit. Not seeing a body was still rather unsettling.

"Yeah," came the response. "Kylo Ren."

"That's unusual."

"So is Armitage."

Armitage had nothing to say to that, his name always having been a sore point.

"You don't like it?" Kylo asked, sounding a fraction closer. "I do."

"Oh, well..." Armitage managed, trailing off. A previous worry resurfaced. "Do you speak to anyone else?"

"In your family? No. No offence, but they kind of suck."

It was impossible to hold back a small laugh at that. "None taken," he reassured Kylo. "Does that mean you just... hang out with me?"

"Is that weird?"

"Probably. I don't think I mind."

"You're lonely."

"Yeah."

"Me too."

Several seconds of silence elapsed, the easy conversation reaching a slightly awkward pause.

"Hey, Kylo? What are you?"

"A ghost, I think."

"You think?"

There was a soft whisper of laughter. "I wasn't left a manual, à la Beetlejuice."

Armitage found himself smiling, for the first time in close to four months. "That would have been convenient."

"Tell me about it. At least things like breaking ugly china come naturally."

"The day we moved in?" Armitage asked, remembering the box that had split and resulted in the contents smashing on the floor. "How did you know?"

"Lorraine seemed most concerned about that box, and I didn't like the idea of company so..."

"How long have you been here?"

"Four years, I think," Kylo said after a pause.

"I thought you'd say four hundred years."

"I made a Beetlejuice reference."

"You could have watched that as you are now."

"True. I was alive when I watched it though."

"What happened?"

Something about Kylo's presence changed, echoing how Armitage felt when he was afraid and alone.

"A story for another time."

"Of course," Armitage said as gently as he could, realising it was perhaps rude to have asked. "I'm sorry."

Unsure of what to say, and having realised peering into the dark wouldn't help him see anything, Armitage let his eyes fall closed and found that he was more tired than he realised. The rush of trying to get Kylo's attention was fading from his body.

"Will you still be here when I wake up?" he asked.

"Yes."

Slowly lying back down, Armitage took his time rearranging the comforter to his liking. "Do you sleep?"

"I wish. No. I'm always aware, which I think would be tiring if I could get tired. It's mostly boring. It's nice to have you around though."

"How do you mean?" Armitage asked sleepily, already knowing the answer. "You mean you watch me?"

"I... yeah..." Kylo sounded sheepish, but Armitage couldn't help smiling.

"I don't mind," he admitted, the filter between his brain and his mouth clearly not functioning. What did it matter, though? "It's nice. It makes me feel less alone. I can tell when you're there. It's almost like someone cares and is watching over me. I don't have any friends. Not anymore."

Realising he'd been speaking out loud, Armitage huffed into his pillow, feeling a little silly.

"I don't have any friends either."

The opening was there, but even exhausted and on the verge of sleep Armitage wasn't sure how to ask a ghost if they could be friends, or how that would even work.

"If you like, you can come in here while I'm sleeping."

It was a rather pathetic way of saying 'I don't want to be alone', but Kylo seemed to understand.

"Thank you. I'll watch over you, don't worry."

Armitage felt as if he'd fallen asleep between hearing Kylo's reply and giving his own.

"Thank you," he mumbled, the words heavy and difficult to voice. "Good night, Kylo."

"Good night, Armitage."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this they talk about how Kylo died. AO3 is a dick and won't let me use span color to hide the spoiler so please check the end notes if you'd like to check the content before reading.

Talking to Kylo became a regular peculiarity in Armitage's life. Perhaps it was because of loneliness and isolation, but he opened up about himself more readily than he ever thought he would to anyone. What was hard, though, was the fact that Armitage couldn't see Kylo. He'd asked, but it was clearly a touchy subject.

"You could see me, if I touched you," Kylo had explained.

"Will you touch me then?"

After a pause: "no."

"Kylo?"

"I don't want you to see me."

There was a lot to those words, and Armitage felt the heaviness and pain of them acutely. He wished he could reach out and reassure Kylo, but worried that his words would be unwelcome or seem insincere.

"Well, if you ever want to, I'd love to see you."

"No, you wouldn't."

Armitage knew that Kylo was nineteen, and it broke his heart to think about why Kylo was so shy and uncertain of himself. He was good company, and sharp witted and funny, but there was an underlying sadness that became apparent whenever the conversation turned towards Kylo. He was far more comfortable talking about Armitage, and about music, movies, how hideous the newest soft furnishings in the house were, etc.

Kylo had clearly been interested but too reserved to ask about Armitage's condition, but when it eventually came up in a roundabout way, Armitage told him everything, from the rather stupid series of flings which had resulted in the pregnancy to his father's reaction, and how he'd felt about the whole thing and the move. It was a relief to talk about it, and Kylo seemed willing to listen.

"So what happens when your baby's born?" Kylo asked.

Armitage had looked down at himself, knowing that things didn't add up. There was a spare bedroom, but it had been converted into a den that was never used. No provisions had been made for a baby.

"They'll want me to put them up for adoption."

The sharp hiss Kylo made sounded feral. Furious. "They wouldn't!"

Armitage gave a huff of dry laughter. "My father deemed it necessary to rip me away from everyone and everything I'd ever known - and _he'd_ ever known - to ensure that my sordid little secret wasn't discovered. I think he hopes to go back once this is all over and pretend it never happened. He... he doesn't want me to keep my baby."

It was hard to talk about, and Armitage curled in on himself, the uncertainty scaring him.

"I'm worried what he'll do," he confessed.

"I won't let him hurt you or your baby," Kylo said solemnly, sounding deadly serious. Armitage had given as shaky smile at that, believing him. He wasn't sure what Kylo could do beyond interact with inanimate objects for a short period of time, but he didn't doubt that Kylo would find a way to keep his promise. It felt strange knowing someone cared about him like that. Armitage wished he could return the favor.

Keeping Kylo company seemed enough for the ghost though. They spent time together and would talk for hours on end, and when the rest of Armitage's family was out and he moved around the house, Kylo went with him. Before, Armitage had treasured every chance to get out of the house, but now he only did it because he had to. When he returned from the nearby park, or from the shopping mall, he shared every detail Kylo asked for, and even started taking photographs to share with him. One afternoon Armitage had hooked up the TV and they'd sat - or Armitage sat, he wasn't sure what Kylo did - on the sofa and flicked through the photos on the widescreen, Kylo telling Armitage stories about each place and retelling adventures from his childhood. He'd also given Armitage directions to new places to check out next time he went out. Armitage wished Kylo could go with him.

-

Eventually, Armitage plucked up the courage to ask Kylo how he died. The silence after his question was awful, and the answer that followed was even worse.

"I killed myself."

Somehow Armitage had known, but to hear it was so much worse. He was overwhelmed with pain and grief for this young man he'd never truly met yet had come to care about deeply.

"I'm so sorry, Kylo. I'm so sorry," Armitage breathed, failing to blink back the tears stinging his eyes. "I wish I could touch you. I wish I could reach out to you and help you."

"You already have."

Armitage gave a wet sob, his heart breaking anew for Kylo and his hormones making him feel even more a mess.

"Not enough, though."

"It's enough," Kylo said a little shakily. "You're here, now, talking to me. You're kind to me, and treat me like a friend. I'm... I'm glad I have that."

"Please let me touch you."

"I don't want you to see me."

Armitage bit back any further words, hating the response but respecting it.

"When - if - you're ever ready, I'll be here, Kylo. I promise."

He wasn't sure what to make of the odd shimmer he saw out of the corner of his eye.

"Thank you."

-

It was easy to tell where Kylo was whenever he was nearby. Armitage ached to reach out and brush against him, but always held back. He respected Kylo too much to do that to him and overstep a very clear boundary. Still, he asked him about how he looked.

"Do you have brown hair or blonde?"

"Why does it have to be one or the other?"

"Both?"

"I dyed it. Blue."

"For real?"

"Well, I did at one point. It's brown though."

Armitage chuckled, finding that the idea of Kylo dying his hair an outrageous color very _him_.

"Do you have any piercings?"

"So many questions."

"I'm just trying to imagine what you look like."

"Please don't."

"You know what I look like," Armitage pointed out.

"I do," Kylo agreed so quietly Armitage almost missed it.

"So?" he prompted.

"I'm ugly."

Before Armitage could protest that it wasn't true, Kylo was gone. Armitage felt the loss keenly, his heart aching. At this point wanting to know what Kylo looked like wasn't really that important - Armitage would feel the same way about him regardless of how he looked - but he still wanted to know. He wanted to be able to put a face to the name, and to the voice and comforting presence that almost always kept him company.

He wasn't sure how to say so, but to him, Kylo was the most beautiful person he'd ever known.

-

Keeping Armitage company even extended to Kylo lingering in the bathroom while he showered. It should be weird having a ghost talking to him from the other side of the curtain as he washed, but Armitage was too fond of what they had, and of Kylo, to disallow it. Besides, Kylo always left to give Armitage privacy when he needed it, and would be waiting outside the bathroom when he was done.

After one particularly stressful day and a restless night, though, Armitage didn't want to be alone. He begged Kylo to stay, and Kylo agreed to do so. Feeling lethargic and entirely too fat and awkward, Armitage had washed himself and then dressed slowly, glad for the company. He was tired of being alone. He was tired of having to go through this on his own, and was desperate for support.

"You're getting big," Kylo said, sounding a little in awe.

"That's a nice way of saying I'm getting fat and hideous," Armitage sulked, tugging a large tshirt down over his belly and realising that he very badly needed to go and buy something larger.

"You're blossoming."

That was the nicest, most ridiculous way of putting it. Armitage huffed, reaching for his toothbrush and toothpaste.

"I'm not a bloody flower," he muttered.

"No, you're more beautiful than that."

He stilled, trying to work out what he'd just heard. As the words registered, Armitage flushed bright red and looked down, flustered.

"You shouldn't go saying things like that," he mumbled, squeezing out too much toothpaste and then starting to brush his teeth vigorously.

All the while, he was thinking that Kylo _really_ shouldn't say such things, but also that he'd liked him doing so. The thought of Kylo liking his appearance left Armitage's heart beating that little bit faster, fluttering in excitement.

-

Brendol became increasingly uncomfortable around Armitage, to the point where meal times were difficult. The way round it was for Armitage to be seated before his father came into the room, and to remain seated until Brendol left. His step-sister was sternly instructed to ignore Armitage's condition, and Kylo had said that he'd overheard her being talked to and told, in terms that angered Kylo, just why what was happening to Armitage was 'wrong' and 'disgusting'. That night, the family hadn't gotten much sleep at all, if any. Part of Armitage was tired of the conflict and knew it wouldn't change a thing, but it was also nice to have someone that actually _cared_ about him and tried to look out for him.

The morning after, when Armitage lay dozing in bed, cozy under the comforter and cradling his stomach, Kylo sat on the floor close to his head. They were silent for a while, just enjoying each others' company, and there wasn't anything either of them felt like they needed to say. Armitage was lost in a strange haze of emotions, feeling tied up in an oddly wonderful way and almost as devoted to Kylo as he was to his baby. There was a closeness there, and an understanding, which he hadn't experienced with anyone else before. Perhaps, he thought, he loved this being.

"Armitage?" Kylo asked quietly after some time.

"Mm?"

"Do you like me? Do you like this?"

Closing his eyes and smiling, Armitage imagined that Kylo was next to him in body, about to reach out any second to brush a hand against his cheek.

"I love it," he replied honestly. Even without the physical contact or being able to see Kylo, it still meant so much to him.

"So do I."

A wave of happiness washed over Armitage, and he squirmed happily beneath the covers.

"I'm glad you moved here," Kylo said gently.

"Same," Armitage agreed. Silence fell again, and when he opened his eyes to watch dust motes dancing in the sunlight, he thought he saw a flicker of something where he imagined Kylo sat. It was gone too quickly for him to properly register.

"This was my room, you know," Kylo said. "I never liked it as much as I do now though."

Armitage found himself smiling again at the revelation. "Did you have any posters?"

"Several. Mostly heavy metal bands. If it was dark and macabre, I liked it. I had a really cool one with a dragon and lots of blood on it. It was torn down, of course."

"Your parents?"

"My father, after I..." Kylo was silent for a good few minutes. "I didn't realise what it would do to them."

Armitage wasn't sure what to say in response. "If you were suicidal I don't imagine you were able to think about things like that."

"No," Kylo agreed. "Do you hate me for what I did?"

"Of course not," Armitage reassured him. "Why would I hate you for that?"

"I don't know. Most would. Your dad would."

With a dry laugh, Armitage started picking lazily at the hem on his pillowcase. "My dad hates most people for most things. He hates me for my stupidity in getting pregnant and 'throwing my life away'."

"I wish I could disagree with you. I'm sorry he's so unkind."

"It's okay. I have you," Armitage half joked. "Although you no doubt think I'm stupid too."

"A little, but not in the same way your father does." Kylo agreed, and Armitage wanted to thank him for his honesty even if it stung a little. "It's the kind of stupid mistake I'd love to have been able to make. I also think you're incredibly brave for it. The choice you made, to keep the baby, and then the way you stuck by that choice when everyone around you was trying to pressure you... That's strength."

"It's terrifying," Armitage whispered, afraid to think about what the future still might hold. He was a fool if he thought it was over and that he and his baby were safe.

"I bet," Kylo said gently. It had to be a trick of his mind, but Armitage could have sworn he felt a gust of air brush against his cheek. "I wish I could really be here for you. Properly. Not just as I am now, useless."

"Please don't think of yourself like that. I'm happy you're here as you are now. It's more than I could have ever asked for."

The idea of what his life could have been like if his father hadn't chosen this particular house scared Armitage. The thought of being truly alone and having to go through his pregnancy with no one supportive in his life was frightening. It could so easily have happened. And Kylo would be alone too. They would never have met.

"I'm glad I met you," Armitage said, his voice strained with emotion. He'd found yet another thing he was scared to lose. It was almost as frightening as the prospect of his father orchestrating the adoption of his child once it was born.

"I'm glad too."

"Kylo? I don't know how these things work, but could you please promise me something?"

"Anything."

"If you leave, please don't do so without saying goodbye."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Hearing Kylo give his work, Armitage relaxed, settling down and stopping worrying the edge of his pillowcase. Tiredness was creeping back over him, and he'd very much like to sleep for another hour or two before fixing himself a late lunch. The night had been tiring, but the emotional conversation and his fears weighed more heavily on him than a sleepless night.

"Armitage? Can I touch you? Please?"

Armitage's eyes widened at the words, their meaning registering. He immediately relaxed though, sighing happily and pushing his hand out and leaving it upturned on his pillow in offering.

"Of course."

His heart was beating wildly in his chest, his thoughts racing. He hardly dared to believe what was finally about to happen after so long hoping and longing for it. Slowly, he felt Kylo reaching out, the air shifting so subtly anyone else might miss it.

Kylo's fingers, when they touched Armitage's, were cool and light, like the caress of soft water. The sensation of it rippled through Armitage, leaving him gasping at both the strange, wonderful touch and the sight of the handsome young man suddenly visible to him.

Kylo was far too pale and translucent to be mistaken for living, but Armitage didn't care. Big expressive eyes watched him as he took in the pale face framed by soft curls of medium length hair, the strong sloping nose and the large, inviting mouth. Armitage's vision swam as tears formed, and his heart ached, unable to cope with finally being able to see the person he'd come to love. Kylo was far more beautiful than Armitage could ever have imagined, and at the sight of him he closed his hand around Kylo's, feeling it completely tangible for a moment before it seemed to melt and slip through his.

"Thank you," he managed to whisper, his throat choked with emotion. "Thank you."

"You're crying," Kylo said, sounding afraid.

Armitage nodded, giving a laugh that was caught up in a sob as he brought his other hand up to brush away the tears. He didn't shift the hand still in contact with Kylo's as he was unwilling to relinquish the touch.

"I'm happy. You're... Oh God I'm so sorry, you're so handsome, so gorgeous."

"You... really think so?"

"I do."

"You said 'I do'. We're married now."

The terrible joke made Armitage laugh out loud, curling up a little as some of the tension and relief left his body that way. Kylo had the most wonderful smile, even if it was a little uncertain. It was crooked, and made Armitage want to kiss him.

"Oh no," he said mockingly, playing along. "That sounds _terrible_."

"It is. You're stuck with me forever now."

Armitage was back to smiling, and his response this time was serious. "That sounds nice, actually."

Kylo seemed lost.

"So what happens if I'm not touching you? Will you become invisible again?" Armitage asked, aware of the cool touch still against his hand. It didn't drain heat, but there weren't any other words to describe the sensation, other than cool and comforting.

"It... the stronger my connection with someone, the easier it is for them to see me. You could probably... not as well as now, but..."

And the touch was gone. Armitage blinked as Kylo shifted and flickered before him, but didn't disappear.

"Before, I was..." Kylo seemed uneasy - uncertain of himself. "I was putting effort into making sure you couldn't see me."

"You don't have to anymore if you don't want to. I like seeing you."

"Really?"

Armitage understood for sure in that moment that Kylo would need reassurance on that fact for a long time. "Really. Thank you for doing this."

"Are you going back to sleep now?"

Armitage didn't mind the deflection. He nodded, feeling exactly like he hadn't slept at all that night.

"For a little while."

"I'm sorry I kept you up."

Smiling, Armitage reached out his hand, hoping Kylo would take it. "I'll live," he said dismissively, his heart skipping a beat when Kylo took his hand. Again, for a moment, the touch was as real and as solid as the bed beneath him. "And when I wake up, would you like to help me decorate the room? It could do with some posters."

"Yeah, I'd like that," Kylo smiled. "Sleep well, Armitage."

"You too," he replied. When he realised his mistake he chuckled but didn't correct himself. Kylo knew what he meant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kylo was depressed and killed himself. They don't talk about it in too much detail but the fact is there.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't realise how much was still left to happen! I'm sorry I keep making this longer and longer. The next part really should be the last. [Edit: no, it isn't. I'm the worst I'm so sorry!]

After that, touch became a frequent part of their... whatever it was. Friendship, probably, but to Armitage it was more than that. He savoured the moments Kylo reached out, especially in front of his family. A supportive hand resting over his at the dinner table went further to offering reassurance in the face of Brendol's harsh words than anything else could. It also felt very much like a ‘fuck you’ to the man who had gone through the trouble of moving state to keep Armitage isolated. Now, Armitage was almost never alone. Kylo was there, by his side, and Armitage could _see_ him now too, shimmering at the edge of his vision and pulling faces at Brendol's stuffy attempts at conversation. Kylo didn't like the way Armitage was talked at, not talked to.

That first day of being able to see Kylo, Armitage had woken up and immediately smiled brightly when he'd seen Kylo so close to him. Kylo had looked frightened, and perhaps thought Armitage would laugh at him - he seemed so incredibly sensitive about his appearance, which made Armitage want to hunt down and seek revenge on anyone who had ever been unkind to Kylo. Armitage's first words had been that he loved waking up and seeing Kylo, and Kylo seemed to relax a little. Perhaps he hadn't believed Armitage completely then, but every time Armitage woke to see Kylo he felt happier than words could describe, and had smiled and greeted him with kind words. Soon, Kylo was smiling back. It had to be his imagination, but Armitage even though he saw Kylo blushing.

When Armitage stood in front of the mirror in his room and inspected his growing figure, Kylo would hover uncertainly just a few feet away. He seemed to like touching Armitage, but was reluctant to ask. Initially, it was always Armitage reaching out.

"Can I touch your bump?" Kylo asked one day, clearly having worked up the courage to blurt out the question before he lost his nerve.

"Oh, of course," Armitage managed, pleasantly surprised by the request. Kylo drifted closer and, biting his lip, reached out and gently laid a momentarily tangible hand over the swell of Armitage's stomach. There had been a strange, private smile on Kylo's face and his eyes had been bright with wonder. When his touch changed to its usual ghostly caress neither of them pulled away.

"What does it feel like when you touch me?" Armitage asked, having been wondering for a while.

"Nice," Kylo surmised. "Like... better than sunshine. You feel warm. Comforting. Flames that don't hurt."

"Oh." Despite himself, Armitage smiled at that description. Kylo found contact with him comforting. It made him irrationally happy to learn that. "Did you feel that kick?"

"No, hold... Oh!"

Kylo turned to Armitage with a look of complete amazement and delight written across his face. It must have been a trick of the light, but he seemed more corporeal for a moment too.

"Does that happen a lot?"

"So often," Armitage sighed. "It can be uncomfortable."

"I didn't know..."

Kylo was still touching Armitage's belly, but his hand wasn't passing through his skin as Armitage knew it could. He was grateful.

"So what does it feel like when I touch you?" Kylo asked.

"Like water. Calming. Comforting."

"Cold?"

"No. Cool, I guess, but I never feel like I'm losing heat."

"Others shiver when I touch them."

"You've touched other people?" Armitage couldn't help the irrational sting of jealousy.

Kylo shrugged, drawing his hand back. "I was curious. I tried to reach out to my mom. That didn't go well. And then when the next family moved in... I worked out they could see me for a split second when I touched them, but they all shivered like I was unpleasant, and I don't think I was much more than a trick of the light to them."

"Nothing about you is unpleasant," Armitage quietly insisted.

"Touching them wasn't that nice either." Kylo continued, perhaps not hearing Armitage. "It stung."

Armitage wasn't sure what to make of that, but Kylo was reaching out to him, his hand close to Armitage's face as if he were about to push his hair back behind his ears. Tilting his head a fraction, Armitage closed his eyes and leaned into the contact. The caress was firm and reassuring for a moment before settling into the familiar light touch.

"Perhaps we were made for each other," he wondered aloud.

Kylo didn't respond, though. Armitage thought he would, but when he opened his eyes Kylo looked sad, and slowly started to withdraw.

"Kylo, what is it?" Armitage asked, panicking. His stomach dropped sickeningly as he realised he'd perhaps overstepped the mark. The very last thing he wanted was for Kylo to withdraw from him, but that seemed to be what was happening.

"I... think I heard something. Be right back."

And with that flimsy excuse, Kylo was gone.

-

Kylo was clearly avoidant after that. He was quieter than he used to be, and stayed further away than normal. Armitage also noticed a difference in his appearance - there seemed to be less of him, as if he was fading. Quite honestly, it frightened Armitage.

"I can't see you so clearly anymore," he said sadly one evening as he sat with a book while Kylo hovered near the window.

"That's okay," Kylo said dismissively.

"God damn it Kylo, not it's not!" Armitage all but shouted, flinging his book to the side. He quickly stopped, pausing and panicking in case his raised voice disturbed anyone. It didn't seem like anyone was moving, so he exhaled the breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. "It's not okay. Why would it be okay?"

"Attachment, remember?"

He did remember. The stronger the connection, the easier it was for someone to see Kylo. Armitage sure as hell wasn't trying to weaken the link between them, so it had to be Kylo's doing. It hurt.

"You don't want me to be attached to you?"

"It's better this way."

"Better for who!?" Armitage demanded. "Don't be so selfish, Kylo. How about asking me what I want before you go shutting yourself off?"

"What you want isn't always what you need," Kylo countered listlessly. Armitage was caught between frustration and betrayal, and to him Kylo's words came across as irritating fortune cookie nonsense.

"And you think I need to feel even more isolated and alone?"

"I think you should care more about the living."

Armitage was momentarily stunned into silence. He couldn't work out what to say. To him, Kylo was more real than anyone else he knew. He didn't count him as different, or any less of a person. He was _more_ , actually. Sensing that there was a lot Kylo wasn't opening up to him about, Armitage tried to push a little further. "Kylo, what is it really?"

Kylo seemed to fret and worry over whether or not he should answer. He shifted about, looking continually down at the floor as he worried his lip. "What happens when your baby's born? Or when your father decides to move again? Or when you meet someone new and want to move on? What happens when you need to leave this place but I'm still here holding you back?"

"Wh--?"

Armitage could see where the concerns might have come from, but the overwhelming feeling he got from Kylo's words was that the other young man was frightened. He was already hurting from something that hadn't yet happened, but he saw as an inevitability. Kylo expected to be forgotten, and abandoned.

"Who says any of that has to happen?"

"It will, though," Kylo insisted. "And it... it should." He clearly struggled to force the words out, and seemed close to tears. "I'm no good for you."

Armitage gave a derisive snort. "Okay, stop that," he said firmly. "Come closer, please?"

Kylo dithered for several seconds before complying, coming to rest on the floor just two feet away.

"When my baby's born, I'm going to be scared shitless, Kylo. You're the only friend I have. I don't care if it's unconventional or whatever. It's something I have, and I'm grateful for that - for _you_."

Shifting forward, Armitage reached out, waiting for Kylo's agreement before he touched Kylo's head. His hand came to rest on soft hair that was tangible for a moment, before becoming a watery memory of the reality. Armitage played with it regardless. One of the hardest things for him was that the touch wasn't permanent.

"I can't help it if my dad moves us away, but you could haunt this house and terrify everyone who comes to live here until they leave. Make the house price fall. And then when I have full control over the money my mom left me, I can come back. There's always a way.

"And, please, don't ever think you're not good enough for me, or that I'll willingly leave. I have everything I could ever want or need right here in this room, and that includes you."

Kylo didn't seem to know what to say. "But I'm dead."

"You're still you though. Unless I've gone _completely_ insane. I know we can't sit down and play games together and you can't pass me the salt at the table, but the important parts - the parts I really kind of like - are there."

"I don't want you to miss out."

"On what? I'm about to become a single parent. My life is going to be sleepless nights, changing diapers and worrying about coupons until I can get a part time job and afford a babysitter. I'm already 'missing out'." Armitage snorted at the phrase. A part of him wished he'd known what life could be like before having children, but it hadn't worked out that way and he wouldn't change it for anything now. "It's not ideal with my father and all, but I'm happy here, Kylo. I'm happy with you. If you're happy with that too, please let us have this."

"O-okay."

"Okay?"

Kylo nodded. "Okay."

Armitage relaxed, hoping his point had been made clearly enough. It felt unfairly one-sided, but perhaps Kylo would be more talkative in a few minutes, or hours. Armitage could wait.

"I'd help with the diapers if I could," Kylo said after a pause.

Armitage chuckled. "You sure about that?"

"Yeah. I wish I could."

"Thanks," Armitage said, oddly touched.

"You're going to be a wonderful parent. I hope I get to see."

Kylo was tangible beneath Armitage's fingers for a second, and he lovingly stroked the soft hair, lost in a rush of emotions.

"I hope you do too."

-

Kylo was the only person who took an active interest in Armitage's pregnancy. He was the only person in the house who took any interest at all. When Armitage came home from appointments he was always eager to hear how it went, and was clearly overjoyed when Armitage let him touch his stomach and feel the baby moving and kicking. Whenever Armitage was in pain or discomfort, Kylo pressed against the area to try and soothe it. More often Armitage preferred a microwavable barley bag to try and ease the ache, but the semi-physical contact with Kylo was always endlessly comforting.

Armitage made good on his promise to decorate the room too. He wasn't sure how to start, but the large music store in the mall had a 3 for 2 offer on their huge array of posters so one morning Armitage had stood and studied each poster in turn trying to judge their suitability. In the end he chose one for himself which was an artistic, pretty photograph of blossoms against the sun (as it reminded him of the time Kylo had said that he was blossoming and looked beautiful), a poster that had a black and a white dragons intertwined (which Armitage thought was fitting for himself and Kylo), and one from the Terminator movie (which he knew Kylo liked from previous conversations). He also picked up a set of fairy lights which would no doubt anger his father if he ever saw them. But Brendol cared less and less about his son, and never sought him out. The chance of him entering Armitage's room was small.

Back home Kylo greeted him as always, and they sat together as Armitage showed his small collection of purchases. Kylo seemed to like each poster but he said his favorite was the dragons.

"They reminded me of us," Armitage admitted.

"Light and dark, hot and cold, living and dead?"

"No. Complimentary."

"Oh. Yeah. That too."

Armitage pressed some tac to the corners of the posters ready to put them up, smiling at Kylo's response. The other young man seemed more joking than pensive. "They also had a sale on CDs, but I didn't know where to start looking."

"I wish you could have seen my collection," Kylo said wistfully.

"You said. I wish I could have too."

"I had some rare vinyls my dad gave me as well."

"Mm, and that rare Motorhead one you found at a junkyard sale?"

"That was criminal."

"Lucky for you though."

"Yeah, I don't think that woman realised what she had. Her loss."

"Indeed," Armitage agreed, now moving to the wall he'd selected for the first poster. He wanted the blossoms near his mirror. Holding it loosely in place, he turned to Kylo. "Does it look okay here?"

"Yeah. Can you get it a bit higher? In line with the top of the mirror?"

"Like this?"

"Perfect."

Armitage pressed it into place and then stepped back to check it was level. It was good enough. Next he hung the Terminator poster close to his window. The dragons he wanted right above his bed. That done, he turned to the string of lights. There seemed to be miles of tiny little bulbs, and after plugging them in Armitage dragged a fat cushion onto the floor and sat with his legs crossed as he wrapped himself in them, cradling the soft little lights in his hands. He'd deliberately shied away from the harsher blue LED ones.

"I always loved fairy lights. They're the best part of Christmas," he said. "Back home they'd decorate the trees in the park with those white-blue ones each year. I used to go there with my mum when it was dark and look up at them for hours on end. They were like stars you could almost reach."

"You should see North Lake Avenue at Christmas. It's beautiful. I know you'll love it."

Armitage looked up, smiling. "Thanks."

"Are you going to put these up?" Kylo asked, his hand disturbing the lights and then passing through them. The frequency with which he could interact with solid objects seemed to be increasing, as did the length of time he could hold the contact. It still wasn't long, though.

"I rather like being covered in them."

"It does make you look very... radiant."

Armitage could tell Kylo had quickly picked another word, and creased his brow slightly. "What? What were you going to say?"

"I, uh..."

Armitage had figured out by now that Kylo couldn't exactly blush, but there was a telling way his skin darkened.

"I was going to say beautiful".

It was Armitage's turn to blush, and he quickly looked down, smiling as his heart started racing. It was the smallest thing that Kylo said or did which could set off the wonderful rush of feelings.

"Thank you," he said almost shyly, fidgeting with the lights. "Hey, would you come closer? I'd like to see how the light affects you."

It was something Armitage had already been observing in different situations, but this was a new one and he wanted to take advantage of it. As Kylo shifted closer, he carefully untangled a section of wire from around his neck, disturbing his hair as he lifted it off. Holding the handful of lights toward Kylo, Armitage noticed the way they softened the glow of Kylo's skin, making him seem more alive while at the same time more translucent. It was a strange contradiction.

"You look beautiful too, you know," he said gently.

Kylo's eyes, somehow bright without reflecting much of the light Armitage held, widened, and he looked breathless. Which was silly for a ghost, Armitage knew, but he wasn't sure what else to think when a moment later he swore he could feel a gust of air against his lips. His hands, holding the lights, lowered without him realising, and he was left gazing longingly at Kylo, his heart hammering wildly in his chest. Every fibre of his being ached to reach out and close the distance between them, and he knew Kylo had to be able to read every thought and desire he had in that moment.

What didn't make sense was the fact that Kylo looked just as pained with longing and as filled with excitement as Armitage. He hadn't moved away or looked away for longer than it took for his gaze to flicker to Armitage's lips. When Armitage realised what was about to happen, his heart skipped a beat and he completely forgot how to breathe. All he could focus on was Kylo. Kylo, so close to him, who was leaning in and closing the distance, his eyes falling shut and then Armitage's doing the same just a fraction of a second before they kissed. Before they really, truly kissed.

The touch was as solid and as tangible as anything else Armitage had ever felt, and every nerve within him erupted into a shower of light, his heart singing. He could feel the softness of Kylo's lips and the cool, wonderful touch of his skin. He could even smell him - a light, crisp scent like a clear November morning.

And then the touch faded.

Armitage wasn't ready to let go of the beautiful thing he'd found. His hand came up and snatched at Kylo's shoulder, his fingers passing through him. Kylo clutched just as desperately at him, before falling carefully forward to hold his head against Armitage's shoulder, as if resting it there. In return, Armitage wrapped his arms - still somewhat tangled in fairy lights - around Kylo's shoulders and back, content to carefully hold his limbs at the point where their skin met.

"I'm so sorry," Kylo mumbled. "I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to."

"I'm glad you did," Armitage replied, finding his voice barely more than a whisper. He realised his cheeks were wet with tears, despite the fact he didn't feel any sadness. A sob rose in his chest, reaching his lips as a strange bubble of laughter. It was relief, he realised.

"Are you okay?" Kylo asked, pulling back. He looked pained when he noticed the tears.

"I'm fine," Armitage nodded, brushing away the tears and giving another burst of laughter. "Honestly. I'm happy. Really happy. So happy. Thank you."

"Would... would you like me to do it again?"

Who would have known that, at seven months pregnant and sitting on the floor of his room, draped in fairy lights and talking to a ghost, Armitage would finally feel true happiness.

Smiling brightly, he leaned in, barely able to wait to feel Kylo's lips on his again.

"Yes please."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like to look at things sometimes before I write about them, so went to look for posters! [Here are the flowers](http://www.gbposters.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/737x938/17f82f742ffe127f42dca9de82fb58b1/b/l/blossom-sun-mini-poster-1.11.jpg), [here are the dragons](http://imagecache5d.allposters.com/watermarker/8-861-UDGJ000Z.jpg) (I imagine it with a nicer taijitu), and [here is the Terminator one](http://imagecache5d.allposters.com/watermarker/88-8899-7HJP300Z.jpg).
> 
> I'm sorry again for this not being the last chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good morning! As I've failed to make this the last chapter I'm posting twice today to make sure it's all finished for you. I'm so sorry it kept getting more and more chapters.
> 
> It's making me nervous how long this is now as it was just supposed to be one short thing for Huxloween. I really hope it's still good to read.

"Armitage, please don't," Kylo begged, looking more than a little concerned.

"I can do it," Armitage insisted, frowning.

"I know, but it's a bad idea. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Armitage considered arguing the point, but Kylo looked so sincere he wavered, looking down at the mattress he'd started to tug towards the edge of the bed and then at the distance between the floor and the bed frame, which he'd have to reverse soon enough. Testing the weight of the mattress by lifting a corner, he huffed in resignation.

"You're right," he conceded. "But I just wish..."

"Me too," Kylo quickly added, drifting closer and brushing reassuringly over Armitage's forearm. Their hands melded together, neither having something to truly hold onto but feeling the other all the same.

Armitage wished everything had happened months ago, when sleeping on the floor wasn't next to impossible. He longed to feel Kylo beside him as he slept, but as the bed wasn't a solid thing which Kylo could lie on, it couldn't happen. Kylo was perhaps more concerned about him sleeping on the floor than he needed to be, but Armitage also realised that getting up first thing in the morning wouldn't be as simple as swinging his legs over the side of the bed, which was sometimes a challenge on its own (although mostly because his bed was warm and comfortable, fall was in full swing, and the prospect of eating with his family wasn't appealing - he prefered to wait until everyone left and then take his time shuffling about the house with Kylo close by). Resting his hand over his uncomfortably large belly he tried to comfort himself with the thought that it wouldn't be like this for much longer.

A telltale shift from Kylo made him smile, and Armitage readily returned the kiss that was pressed to his lips a moment later. It lasted for a wonderful two seconds, before fading. It was hard that contact was so limited, and Armitage knew Kylo found it extremely difficult too, but it was infinitely better than nothing. It made Armitage treasure each moment, and had also made for several interesting sessions in which they experimented with the length and frequency of contact open to them. One time Armitage tapped a split lap timer each time Kylo leaned in for a kiss, until they'd both ended up giggling and laughing at their odd science experiment, and another - perhaps Armitage's favorite - Armitage had changed the angle of the mirror in his room and sat on the floor with Kylo behind him. Every twenty-seven seconds or so the soothing circles Kylo was rubbing over his belly became perfectly real, and Armitage watched the subtle change in Kylo's transparency in the mirror. They'd talked about plans for the future, some of which Armitage had been very carefully putting in place since moving, and discussed the practicalities of looking after a baby. With no experience, everything Armitage knew came from the books he'd been reading, and one or two online articles.

It was safe to say that, while he was looking forward to meeting his baby, there were a lot of things that were too uncertain for Armitage's liking. He could sense that this last month was the calm before the storm, and he just hoped that when it hit he had the strength to face it.

Abandoning his plan to move the mattress, he sat on the bed and stared at the floor, already trying to work out another way he could make this work.

“Sofa cushions are much lighter, right?” he said. “That could work.”

“I don’t think your father will allow it.”

“He doesn’t have to know. We could take a nap together and put everything back before anyone gets home,” Armitage pointed out.

“Yeah, okay. Good idea. Are you tired?”

Armitage laughed as he got up. “No, but that’s not really the point is it?”

Kylo grinned in understanding. “No, it’s not.”

The cushions were far easier to handle than his mattress. Armitage arranged them into a makeshift bed on the floor and then carefully lay down on his side, waiting for Kylo to do the same. He was a few inches off the floor, but Kylo’s frame was broader that Armitage’s, so it worked. For a few moments Armitage could feel Kylo pressed firmly against his back, and then it faded to the more usual almost-there sensation of touch. Smiling to himself, Armitage sighed and shifted slightly, making himself as comfortable as possible.

“We should have turned on the TV,” he realised.

“I prefer listening to you,” Kylo said.

“I’m sure that statement is disgustingly soppy. You’re lucky pregnancy has turned me soft.”

Kylo laughed and Armitage felt a soft puff of air against the nape of his neck. “I’m very lucky,” Kylo agreed.

Armitage closed his eyes, savoring the time they had to lie together like this, touching as much as possible. He considered himself extremely lucky too.

“You never did finish that story about the pumpkin patch,” he reminded Kylo, both listening to and feeling the man behind him. There was rhythm to Kylo’s body, and it was soothing to focus on and feel.

“Oh, you’re right. I didn’t,” Kylo said, breaking off into laugh. Armitage smiled again, losing himself to the peacefulness of their situation. He wished he could lie there for hours on end, listening to Kylo tell him about anything and everything, until he too became a ghost.

-

If cameras could pick up Kylo's presence with any degree of accuracy, Armitage was sure he'd have hundreds of photos by now. As it was, all that showed up looked like an odd effect, like a smudge or a trick of the light. He had tried many time to get it to work, and failed each time.

When Kylo asked to borrow his laptop and also the keyboard and mouse from his stepmother Lorraine's computer, Armitage didn't known what it was for. He didn’t mind helping with the odd request. The peripheral equipment made sense as technology sometimes but not always acted up if Kylo touched it. Touching a laptop directly probably wouldn't work so well.

Armitage humored Kylo and navigated to the social media site he’d been asked to and then left him to it. The woman who managed the thrift store Armitage regularly frequented had given him two big bags full of stuff that morning, insisting he take them, and he started sorting through the assortment of items. He'd collected some items he'd need with his allowance, but he'd known it wasn't enough. It was never his intention for the kindly woman to realise the situation he was in, but over the few times he’d talked to her she’d come to understand that he was alone, and his asking if they ever received diapers and baby wipes probably set off alarm bells. He wished he’d thought more carefully before asking, but she knew now and was trying to help as best she could, which was more than any other living being had done and actually turned out to be an embarrassingly huge amount. As Armitage sorted through the collection of items - all second hand but some barely used as if they'd been unwanted gifts from a baby shower - he felt deeply humbled by the woman's generosity and resolved to visit her as soon as he could once his baby was born to thank her properly. It bothered him that he couldn't do this on his own, but he was not like his father. Brendol would _never_ accept charity. Armitage, on the other hand, wouldn't let his baby go without because of his own stubbornness or unbending principles.

When Kylo called him over some time later, and Armitage had sorted the clothes and most of the items neatly away, he'd almost forgotten that Kylo was clicking away every once in awhile in the corner, huffing in frustration when he could only press so many keys at a time. With a brightly colored plastic toy in his hand, Armitage went over to see what it was.

The last thing he expected to see was a picture of Kylo looking up at him from the screen.

He stopped in his tracks, stunned into silence. An odd lump formed in his throat, and he struggled to swallow around it.

"When was that taken?"

"About a month before I died."

Kylo wasn't smiling in the photograph. He was alone, his gazed fixed on something beyond the camera, and his dark hair fell around his pale face, framing him perfectly. Used to the translucent version, Armitage was overwhelmed by the color of the photo, and the fact that this was Kylo - his Kylo - when he'd been alive. He looked so handsome and so, so beautiful, yet there was an underlying sadness to him. Perhaps it was the knowledge of what had happened to the striking young man in the photograph which made Armitage see that side of it, and which also made him ache to reach out - through the screen - and touch this other Kylo. Who knew what their lives could have been like if they'd found each other sooner.

Armitage realised he was actually touching the screen, tracing Kylo's features and mapping the moles dotting his skin, and he paused, knowing he should probably say something but not knowing what.

"Would you like to keep it?" Kylo asked, breaking the silence. When Armitage looked round, he could read Kylo's nervousness and knew that he was uncertain if Armitage would like the gift or not.

"More than anything," Armitage said. "Thank you."

"Please... please don't look at your history or the account it was on."

"I won't," he promised. "Do you mind if I send it to myself? On my phone. As backup. Just for myself."

"Okay."

"Thank you."

Armitage was just a few clicks into the process when the nervous energy from Kylo became too much for both of them.

"Do you like it?" Kylo asked in a rush.

Setting the process of transferring the image aside, Armitage faced Kylo, giving him a gentle smile.

"I love it. Truly. Thank you."

"I never told you, but I had a different name back then too. Well, I had two names, this one and the one I was born with - the one my family used and kept using. I chose Kylo Ren."

Armitage let Kylo speak until he reached a natural pause, letting him find the words he wanted in his own time.

"I like Kylo Ren," he said gently. And he did. Despite how unusual it was, it suited Kylo. It also felt nice on Armitage's tongue.

"I feel like I should have told you sooner, but I didn't know how," Kylo said, seeming lost.

"It’s not something you had to do if you weren’t ready. I can imagine it's hard to do," Armitage sympathised.

Kylo gave an unamused snort. "Yeah. It is. Anyway, my name was Ben. Ben Organa-Solo."

"Hm, it's nice," Armitage said lightly, his tone getting more serious as he continued, "but I really do prefer Kylo. I'm glad that's your name."

Kylo was quiet as Armitage reached for him, trailing his fingers over the back of Kylo's hand.

"Thank you for telling me. I really appreciate it."

Kylo shifted and a moment later tightened his hold on Armitage's hand for a second, squeezing gently.

"Thank you for being someone I can trust."

Armitage responded with a smile, leaning in to press his lips to ghostly, almost intangible skin.

"Anytime."

-

The topic of names had come up a few times, so Armitage wasn't surprised to find himself sprawled on the sofa one afternoon talking to Kylo about it again. He had a tub of ice cream, and was slowly eating the softening bits around the edge.

"Do you really want a name like Elizabeth though?" Kylo asked. "It's a bit..."

"Regal?"

"Stuffy."

Armitage snorted, licking the spoon clean and then taking the next scoop.

"What about something like Chantelle, or Zach?" Kylo suggested

"Short for Zachery?"

"Okay, scratch that one. Um... Sigourney? Heath? Matt? Liam?"

"You're just naming your favorite actors and actresses. I like Matt though. Matt... Matthew. Biblical. Strong."

"Do you want to look up a list of biblical names and go through them?"

Although the idea of teasing Kylo with each one was tempting, Armitage shook his head and grinned. "I'm happy just bouncing ideas around, which... oh..."

Quickly stuffing the spoon into the ice cream, Armitage brought his hand to his stomach, feeling it tense and harden. Balancing the carton in one hand, he sat up, staring down at himself.

"Armitage?"

"Hang on, I... It's probably nothing..."

Another thirty seconds of waiting, though, and Armitage was trying to steady his rapidly increasing heart rate. It didn't feel like nothing.

"Are you okay?"

Kylo was next to Armitage, peering at him with concern. Meeting Kylo's gaze, he tried to calm himself as he formed his next, terrifying words.

"I think I'm going into labor."

"You thi--?" As the words registered Kylo's eyes widened and he stiffened in shock for a moment before leaning forwards and pressing a firm kiss to Armitage's brow. "Okay," he whispered, pulling back. He brushed faintly over Armitage's hair, the touch habitual and comforting them both. "Okay. You know what to do."

"Yeah," Armitage replied, distracted. "I, uh... Okay. Yes - ice cream, laptop, phone."

As he slowly got up, now hyper aware of his body, Armitage was aware of Kylo hovering close to him, clearly concerned and also afraid. With the ice cream crammed hastily back into the freezer, spoon and all, Armitage went through to his room and opened his laptop. Plugging it in, he opened his email and then left it. He hated - absolutely _hated_ \- that this next part had to be done alone. He didn’t want to go alone. Leaving his inbox open meant he could email himself and let Kylo know what happened. It was the best plan he'd been able to come up with for keeping in touch.

Kylo clearly hated being unable to come as much as Armitage hated to leave him behind in the house, but there was no other way. With the phone call made and his cell then dropped into the waiting bag, Armitage knew he had to say goodbye. How long for, he couldn't guess.

"You'll do wonderfully," Kylo said, his voice quiet and edged with emotion as they moved through the hallway to the door. "I know it."

Armitage's hand was resting over his belly, and he felt the start of another contraction. Kylo's hand came to rest over his supportively.

"I wish you could come," Armitage blurted out cruelly. He'd promised himself he wouldn't say that and make it worse for them both, but faced with the reality of separation during the most terrifying event of his life he was unable to stop himself.

"So do I," Kylo said gently. "I really wish I could. I'll be thinking of you the whole time."

"You don't think there's something wrong because they're coming early do you?" Armitage found his mind disorganised, all the worries and fears surfacing and clawing at him. The weight of the situation - that he was eighteen years old, alone, scared, and about to become a single parent with no friends or family by his side - was hitting him hard.

"There's nothing wrong. You know due dates are far from an exact science. Everything is okay."

"I don't want to do this."

Armitage felt pathetic. The whole thing had barely begun and already he wanted to call it quits. He knew he couldn't go through with it. He couldn't do it. The long hours of pain that awaited him were too much to bear. The thought of the stress and anxiety that was to follow made it seem impossible to go on. The true hopelessness of his situation was starting to dawn on him, rearing it's dark, oppressive head, and as tears stung his eyes Armitage found himself clutching at almost empty air, desperate for something that wasn't there.

"You can do it though," Kylo insisted, materialising enough to hug Armitage tightly. A small mercy was that Armitage's addled brain registered the contact as lasting for far longer than it did. The crisp, clean scent of Kylo was stronger than ever, and offered comfort Armitage would soon be without. "You're strong, and the bravest person I've ever known. It's going to be hard, but I believe in you. I know you can do this."

Armitage sobbed, tugging Kylo impossibly closer when the other young man was real enough again beneath his fingers for him to do so.

"And then you can come home. To me."

The last part sounded uncertain, as if Kylo was hesitant to speak it, but Armitage groaned, the idea sounding more like heaven than anything else he could think of.

"Home," he murmured, straightening up a little. A part of his mind was already counting the seconds until he could touch Kylo again, and he leaned in to kiss him as soon as he could. When they pulled apart, all too soon, Armitage took his time to pull back, reluctant to move away even an inch. "I think you're home," he admitted, sniffing back more tears that threatened.

"You're home to me too," Kylo reassured him gently. "And I'll be waiting for you when you get back. I'm not going anywhere."

Armitage hiccuped at the statement, finding it reassuring despite the fact Kylo couldn't go anywhere else. Even if Kylo could, Armitage believed him. Kylo would be here.

From outside, Armitage heard the sound of a vehicle approaching. Fresh tears fell as he knew this really was goodbye for the longest period of time since meeting Kylo.

"I love you, you know," he said desperately.

Kylo's eyes looked wet with tears. "I know. I love you too."

It was another thing Armitage hadn't meant to say, but he suddenly couldn't remember why. The reasons his mind suggested seemed so trivial and unimportant. What did it matter if he said it and made it real? It was already real. He should have said it sooner.

Someone had pulled up outside. Armitage wasn't fool enough to waste the chance to kiss Kylo once more before he had to go. This time, though, rather than igniting him the way their first kiss had, something within Armitage shifted and settled, as if a promise had been sealed. Despite the turmoil he was in, a part of him felt oddly at peace.

"See you soon," Kylo said gently.

"Yeah," Armitage nodded, pulling back and checking his bag was where he left it. "See you soon. I love you, Kylo."

"I love you too, Armitage," Kylo said again, managing a small smile as Armitage reached for the door.

They both hesitated in that final instant, taking one last, lingering look before Armitage turned, and was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The end at last! Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who left kudos and comments, and also a special thank you to Omega Hux for being so supportive and encouraging. I hope you all like the conclusion! (I'm also very sorry for any errors I missed - it has been a very long day.)

Armitage stared down at the little bundle in his arms, still unable to believe it. His baby girl had been born just under hour ago, weighing 7.9lbs, and he didn't want to put her down. She was perfect.

One of the nurses as well as the midwife had taken pity on him. During the six hours he'd been in labor no one had come to be by his side. Armitage didn't know if they did it for all the single parents admitted to their ward, but the two women went out of their way to support him. When the nurse - Alicia - had been called elsewhere she had persuaded a colleague to go instead and the midwife had told the doctor she needed Alicia to stay. When it was time for her break she'd taken it in Armitage's room. When she wasn't assisting directly she was offering her hand for Armitage to hold. It turned out her shift ended an hour and a half ago, but she was still sitting by Armitage's side, keeping him company.

"Do you have a name for her?" Alicia asked.

Armitage shook his head, gently rocking his baby. She was clearly falling asleep, and he watched over her as she did, his heart bursting with love and pride.

"No, I'm not sure yet," he said. He had an idea, but he wanted Kylo to be the first to hear it. He wished he could have been here for this. The midwife had taken a photo for him shortly after his baby was born, and he'd sent it for Kylo to see as well as the caption saying the time and date, how heavy his baby was was, and that she was healthy. He'd also managed to send two message before labor had become too painful, saying first that he'd been admitted and was scared, the second saying how painful it was and that he loved and missed Kylo, and couldn't wait for the pain to stop.

"Your phone," Alicia said, nodding towards where Armitage's phone was flashing with a notification.

Careful not to upset his baby, he reached out with one hand and unlocked the screen. It was from Kylo. Somehow, he'd managed to type and send a short message. Armitage felt himself tearing up as he read it: 'I love you too x'.

It hurt not having Kylo there. Struggling against the storm of emotions currently tearing through him, Armitage rest his head back against the pillow and passed his phone - now back at the home screen - to Alicia.

"Could you take more photos please?"

"Of course," she agreed kindly, standing up. For a good minute Alicia took pictures, and when she was done she pulled the visitor's chair closer to Armitage's side, turning the phone so they could both see the pictures. Armitage pulled a face.

"Wow, I look a mess."

"You have just had a baby, go easy on yourself," she smiled. "Honestly though, you look amazing."

"Thank you," Armitage blushed. He could see it, though. Despite the state of his hair and the weariness, he looked happy. His baby was so small in his arms and looked so fragile. Armitage instinctively held her a little tighter.

Not long after that he got a chance to clean up properly. His midwife was happy with his and his baby's progress so far and when Armitage sat up and carefully put his little girl down in the crib she beamed at him, saying he was a natural. Alicia volunteered to watched over her while he went to clean up, and when Armitage came back he was just in time to find his baby waking up and needing feeding.

Everything felt peaceful. Although he could be given the okay to go home in a few hours, Armitage was staying overnight. When he moved to his room and had said thank you and good night to Alicia, he lay down, facing the raised crib and reaching out so his little girl could grasp at his finger. Her grip was amazingly strong and, still marvelling at her, Armitage fell asleep with a smile on his face.

-

Peacefulness couldn't last though. Despite a good night and only a minor blunder when it came to diapers, Armitage could feel the storm brewing. Feeling uneasy, he'd talked again to his midwife when she came back on duty, and to one of the two doctors he'd made a point of seeing as regularly as he could during his pregnancy. Even with their reassurances he was afraid. He didn't know what would happen when he returned home.

His father knew where he was. He knew what was happening. It shouldn't surprise Armitage when he didn't even bother replying to his messages, but he realise he'd hoped for something other than being completely ignored. He'd hoped for more for his daughter. She hadn't done anything wrong for Brendol to shun her existence.

It turned out that Brendol hadn't ignored Armitage. As he was preparing to make his way out of the ward he stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of his father marching towards the reception desk. He'd barely glanced over at his son before announcing his presence obnoxiously.

"I'm here to discuss options," he stated as soon as he'd been greeted by a receptionist who, to his credit, seemed to be taking Brendol's demeanor in his stride.

Clutching his daughter, Armitage tried not to wither in fear. This was what he'd dreaded, although part of him was glad it was happening now - here - where he actually had more control. It was neutral ground, and safer than home.

With the fuss Brendol created, it wasn't long before Armitage was shown into a meeting room along with his father, a hospital administrator and a harassed looking midwife. It had been suggested that Armitage let someone look after his daughter, but he'd refused point blank, stating "she stays with me" as firmly as he could. There was no way he'd let her out of his sight - not when he knew what was about to happen.

They had only just sat down when someone knocked at the door, and the doctor Armitage had spoken to earlier came in, dismissing the midwife. Armitage no longer felt quite so terrified and alone, although he knew what his father was capable.

Still, the betrayal he felt when his father started the 'discussion' by stating he didn't believe Armitage was a suitable parent and that his baby should be put up for adoption was like nothing he'd ever felt before. Grinding his teeth in anger and frustration, Armitage fought back tears, vowing to himself he'd kill anyone who took his daughter from him. A document was withdrawn from Brendol's briefcase and slid across the table to the administrator, who looked down at it with an unreadable expression. After scanning it at a leisurely pace he neatened the pages and left the offensive document sitting in front of him.

"Well, that all seems to be in order," he announced. He then looked up at Armitage, his grey eyes uncomfortably intense. "Armitage, do you consent to begin the adoption process?"

"No! He hasn't even talked to me about this! I don't want it. I don't agree."

"Even if it's in the best interest for your child?"

Armitage struggled to speak. He was so outraged by the man's impassive, dismissive words that he didn't know where to begin. Against him his daughter shifted, clearly disturbed by what was going on around her.

"It's--!"

"If I may interject," the doctor said, his voice carrying clearly. Everyone turned to him, the administrator nodding, and he continued. "I have been overseeing Armitage's care for some months now. I am familiar with his case, and his circumstances. When he first came to me he expressed his concern that he may be... persuaded, shall we say, to give his child up for adoption.

It is my professional opinion that he is sound of mind and in good health, and that there is no reason he should not retain custody of his child. As an aside, I was also led to believe that he has a trust fund which he may be granted access to prior to his twenty first birthday, should circumstances require. As such, I am sure that any monetary concerns, should his father be unable to contribute, can be easily resolved."

Armitage's eyes went straight to his father, who looked rather uncomfortable.

"Well yes, quite," he agreed, clearing his throat and shifting in his seat. He looked straight across the table at Armitage, and Armitage did his best to meet Brendol's gaze unflinchingly. To his complete and utter surprise, there was something in the cold, steely blue gaze he'd never expected to see, and with a minute nod, Armitage recognised it as respect.

"Are there any other concerns you wish to be addressed?" the administrator asked, looking around the room. "Or can we consider the matter resolved?"

"Nothing further," Brendol said.

Armitage was still reeling, but managed to shake his head. His baby was stirring even more, and he gently rocked her in his arms.

"I think that's all," the doctor said, leaning back as he looked down and checked his pager. He then turned to Armitage. "Will you be alright from here?"

"I think so, yes. Thank you."

On the other side of the table the administrator was pushing the document back towards Brendol and making to leave. The doctor stood up too, giving Armitage a reassuring squeeze in his shoulder as he went past.

"My pleasure."

And with that they were gone, leaving Armitage alone in the room with his father and his daughter. He didn't want to look at the man, but after that flicker of respect he'd won he knew he had to keep it. It was hard, especially when his baby started to cry.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to go feed her."

Brendol nodded, looking uncomfortable again. He clearly didn't like babies, and Armitage remembered him working a lot when his step-sister was born. He'd probably done the same when Armitage was born too.

"I'll be waiting for you out front."

It was hard to hide his surprise, but Armitage managed. He gave a nod. "Thank you."

With that, he left too, finding a quiet place where he could take care of his daughter. As she settled, he gave a wet hiccup of a laugh as he found himself crying. He couldn't believe it had happened. It was no doubt far from over, but he'd won the first battle. He got to keep his daughter.

He couldn't wait to get home and tell Kylo the news.

-

The drive home was strained. It was difficult to know what to talk to his father about after so long being avoided, so Armitage settled for the safe subject of work. He'd already heard about it at dinner times, but with a few prompts Brendol went over some details again, and then started commenting on politics. Finding it easier to give short, set responses and otherwise just listen, Armitage had made it back in one piece.

He wasn't helped with his bag when they got home. Brendol was simply dropping Armitage off and then going to work. Which was fine, really. Armitage didn't want anyone around when he greeted Kylo.

It seemed to take far too long to make it the short distance to the door and unlock it. Resolved to get one of those slings he'd seen other parents using to carry their babies, Armitage fumbled with his keys until the door at last swung open and he could rush over the threshold.

The door wasn't even shut before Kylo was rushing him.

"Armitage!" he cried. "Oh God I was so worried, I didn't know... Can I see her? Are you okay? What did your father do? I'm so glad you're home! I thought he was going to... to..."

He stopped short, staring down and then gasping when Armitage shifted and drew down the blanket enough to show his slowly waking daughter's face. She blinked, looking up with bright blue eyes at Kylo. Armitage was grinning at Kylo, giddy with relief and happiness at Kylo's unrestrained joy.

"She's perfect. Oh God she's perfect, Armitage. Congratulations."

Kylo seemed overwhelmed and was struggling to hold back tears.

"Can I get a welcome home kiss?" Armitage teased, successfully distracting Kylo for a moment.

"Oh, of course."

The kiss was wonderfully real and left Armitage with an even wider smile on his face. He felt like he'd truly come home.

He needed to move out of the hallway though. Heading to his room he set his daughter down in the second hand bassinet he'd bought and then took his bag off, feeling so light his feet didn't seem to be touching the ground. Kylo was hovering over the bassinet, grinning and making cooing noises. Armitage was relieved that his daughter seemed to be able to see Kylo, and was happy to leave them for a moment as he went and put some of his things back in the bathroom.

"Did you pick a name for her?" Kylo asked when Armitage came back.

"Hm, I have one or two in mind," Armitage said lightly, taking his time to get to it just to tease Kylo. Tossing some cushions on the floor near the wall he took his daughter in his arms again and sat down. "I'm still tired."

"Did you get much sleep?"

Kylo was settling on the floor beside Armitage, leaning against him as he smiled down at his daughter.

"Quite a bit. My dad turning up was... exhausting."

"I was so scared when I heard what he was going to do."

"I won though," Armitage reassured him. "More than that. He actually looked at me afterwards as if he respected me for planning a counterattack like that."

"He did?"

"Yeah, I swear it."

Kylo smiled at him, nudging his shoulder and then turning back into his usual ghostly self.

"So..."

Armitage raised an eyebrow. "So?"

"Names?"

Looking down at his daughter, Armitage shifted the blanket from around her, allowing her arms to move. They waved about for a moment, clutching at air, before Kylo leaned in, offering his finger. Her pudgy little hands passed right through him several times, before she could finally grip onto him. When he faded again, she kept grasping. Armitage let her grip his own finger, still amazed by the strength of her tiny fingers.

"I'd like her to have two, and my mum's maiden name. I don't think she's going to be a Hux?"

"What was it?"

"Ross. Maybe Ross-Hux would work..."

Kylo hummed, carefully stroking her cheek. He'd once told Armitage that other people found his touch unsettling and that it gave them chills. Armitage's daughter didn't seem bothered by it at all.

"For her first name I was thinking Harmony."

"And her second?" Kylo asked breathlessly, looking up at Armitage as if he hung on his every word.

"I haven't quite decided. Is there anything you're partial to?"

Kylo didn't seem to believe what he'd just heard. "You... you'd let me help you pick a name for her?"

"Of course," Armitage said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Her other biological parent isn't here, and nor do I want them to be, and you've been with me and helped me as if she were yours. You mean the world to me, as she does, and I'd love your help, as I can't really name her _after_ you as I wanted to do if I'd had a boy. I will straight up veto Sigourney though. Sorry."

Kylo managed to laugh, the sound awkward as he tried to work around the emotions he was feeling. "Wow, okay. Thank you. I can't believe... Okay, not Sigourney. I think Harmony is beautiful, by the way." He smiled as he leaned in to Armitage's daughter. "Hello Harmony Ross-Hux."

Harmony looked back up at him, blinking sleepily and grasping at her own hands. Armitage was fussing with the hem of her babygrow, tugging it back into place.

"Any ideas?" he prompted Kylo.

"I'm not sure. Will you go with the name I pick?"

"Probably," Armitage said honestly. "It's okay if you'd like to think about it, or just give suggestions though. I just thought you might like to... you know..."

"I'd love to!" Kylo insisted. "Honestly." He leaned in and kissed Armitage's cheek. "I'd just like to think about it for a bit if that's okay."

"Okay," Armitage agreed. "I'm sure Harmony doesn't mind waiting either."

Looking down he saw that she really didn't mind about anything - she was asleep again.

-

Armitage wasn't sure how to approach dinner. He couldn't exactly leave Harmony, but nor did he think she was allowed at the table. He supposed he'd have to test it and find out.

Lorraine had stared in surprise when Armitage came through and sat down. She didn't seem to know what to say, but Armitage's step-sister had gasped and come shooting over. Clearly she liked babies. She wanted to know Harmony's name, if she could hold her, and how old Harmony was. Armitage had given an excuse to keep Harmony in his arms - not only was he reluctant to trust an over excited eight year old with his newborn daughter, but because he didn't know if Lorraine would approve.

When Brendol came to sit down for food, he looked somewhat puffed up - a sure sign he was forcefully acting as if everything was okay. He even talked to Armitage about the state of the city's traffic, which was... odd. Unable to do anything else, Armitage had conversed politely, doing his best to eat his meal one-handed while the other held Harmony. He really did need to work out a better solution.

Being able to escape to his room was a relief. Kylo was waiting for him, lying on the floor. He got up when Armitage entered, drifting over and hovering around while Armitage saw to Harmony.

"I've come up with a name," he said. "Although I do have a backup in case you don't like it."

"What is it?"

"Anya."

"Harmony Anya Ross-Hux? Or just Harmony Anya Ross?"

"I think you should keep your name in there. Do you like it?"

Rolling the name around in his mind, Armitage smiled and then nodded. "You know what? I do. It's different. Pretty."

"I can't believe you let me help name her," Kylo said a little disbelievingly as he brushed his hand over the back of Armitage's, playing with the barrier between touch and intangibility.

"Of course I did. I meant what I said. As long as I'm able to stay here I want you to be a part of my life, and hers. I don't know _how_ exactly. Be a baby monitor perhaps? But you're important to me, Kylo."

"I think she can see me."

"She can."

"I love her already."

Armitage smiled brightly, squeezing Kylo's hand in return with the three second window of opportunity they got.

"I didn't know I could do that," Kylo admitted. "Love someone. Before I died I felt completely incapable. Everything was so dark and hopeless and there was nothing but despair. And now there's you, and Harmony. I hope you don't think I'm stupid for saying that."

"Of course not," Armitage reassured him. "I'm not exactly the overly emotional type. Someone once went so far as to call me a sociopath." Looking over at Harmony, Armitage shrugged. "I think it just takes the right person, at the right time in your life."

"Yeah, that must be it," Kylo agreed. "I love you."

Armitage turned, and in the few seconds he had to wait before he could kiss Kylo, he gladly echoed the sentiment. "I love you too."

-

Brendol announcing that he and Armitage needed to talk didn't bode well. It had been a week since Harmony was born, and Armitage was quite honestly starting to worry about what his father's next move would be. He'd spent the time trying to adjust to the demands of being a parent, and had made sure to go past the thrift store to thank the owner once again for her generosity, but in the back of his mind he'd known something was still to come.

It was hard to walk into his father's study and take a seat. Harmony was sleeping in their room, and Kylo promised to cause a loud noise if anything happened, but Armitage still felt lost without her close by.

"I think you know what I wish to discuss," Brendol stated.

Unable to give any other reply, Armitage nodded and tried to gaze as impassively as possible at his father. "I do."

"This living arrangement is not one I feel is beneficial for my family. We moved here with the understanding that this would be a temporary arrangement."

The line Brendol was drawing between them was clear. Anxious as to where it was leading, Armitage waited for his father to continue.

"Lorraine wishes to return to her old job, and as you know my position with the firm allows for a degree of flexibility, but my place is - and always has been - at the main office. Besides, your sister misses her friends."

What about my friends? Armitage thought bitterly. He'd had no choice in the matter when he'd been uprooted and moved almost halfway across the country, although he could admit that at his age there was far less to go back to. He'd graduated high school, and those he'd been friendly with nearly all gone to college. He'd not had any particularly close friends anyway.

"The family home wasn't sold, obviously, so here's what I propose," Brendol continued, puffing up importantly. "We - myself, Lorraine and Jemima - return home. You remain here. Think of this place as a..." he actually waved his hand vaguely. "A coming of age gift, I suppose. Your trust fund was set up specifically for you, so it will remain as it is until such a time as I deem it suitable to release it to you - for college, say - or until your twenty first birthday. Until then, I will pay a monthly allowance, provided certain terms are met. Does this sound agreeable?"

Reeling, Armitage quickly latched onto the last thing that was said, struggling to process what was happening. He'd expected to be turfed out, not given a house.

"What are the terms?"

Clearing his throat, Brendol reached for a sheet of paper lying waiting on his desk and held it out. Armitage took it in a clammy, slightly trembling hand and read over the list. It sounded suspiciously reasonable. He was to take care of the house, do nothing to disgrace his father's name, actively seek employment or enroll on a suitable education course as soon as he could, and look after his daughter. The matter of what would disgrace the family name was somewhat ambiguous, and Armitage was sure their idea of what it meant different, but other than that he could agree to his father's terms.

"I also expect regular contact. If I so much as suspect anything untoward is happening, the agreement no longer stands and you will find yourself without my support. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Armitage nodded.

"Do you agree to the arrangement?"

"Yes," he nodded again, doing his best not to crush the paper he still held in his hand. He felt dizzy.

"That's that then," Brendol pronounced. "You have shown yourself to be smart and resourceful. Continue to do so, and abide by the stipulations I outlined, and in five years I see no reason why I shouldn't transfer the deeds of this place to you. It's too small of a place anyway. Too pokey. I can see why the asking price was so low, although the realtor tried to spout some nonsense about it being haunted."

Armitage actively fought not to grin as his father scoffed at the idea of the supernatural. Even after months of living in the house and suffering odd noises and happenings, Brendol Hux still refused to entertain the idea of the house being haunted.

"Sounds like childish superstition to me," he promptly agreed with his father.

"Absolutely childish," Brendol echoed, his mood shifting and the meeting clearly over. "The stories some people invent!"

By the time he was free of his father, Armitage couldn't stop grinning. He bounded to his room, bursting with joy and excitement.

He couldn't wait to tell Kylo.

-

It was odd being in the house on his own. Armitage's family had left two weeks ago, and he'd been trying to settle into the rhythm of things since. It was a steep learning curve, as he'd never lived on his own before, and was still trying to adjust to being a parent. Harmony didn't sleep as much as she had in the few first weeks, and it was still hard to find time to get decent stretches of sleep himself. Still, when the midwife had come to see how he and Harmony were getting on she'd been happy with their health.

Armitage was happy too. As chaotic as it was trying to work out how to get everything in order - the allowance his father gave him was enough, but only if he was careful - he was doing his own thing, in his own home, with his own strange little family. Kylo played with Harmony as much as he could, and watched over her while Armitage was busy or while they were both sleeping. Armitage had also, at last, been able to move his mattress to the floor so Kylo could lie beside him easily. It was nothing like having a living being curling around him, but Armitage was quite content without that. Even as the weather got colder he didn't miss it. Kylo's strange body was always cool but never cold; always comforting, never draining. They felt right together and the warm hum of his own body was something Kylo loved to press against.

It was nice to love and be loved.

One rare evening when he was online he came across some recent photos uploaded by someone he'd been at school with. He'd paused and flicked through the album, looking at the young, flushed, smiling faces grinning out at him. They seemed content with college life - the thing he was supposedly missing out on. When he thought about Harmony and Kylo, Armitage didn't see it like that at all though. It was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He glanced over the pictures, happy for his friend but in no way, shape or form feeling sad or left out. He had his own life and he wouldn't give it up for anything.

He turned to find Kylo approaching him, smiling.

"She's sleeping again," he said, reaching for Armitage. Their hands laced together, the contact lasting for a full five seconds. Kylo's appearance seeming more real in the artificial lighting.

No, Armitage thought as he leaned in to kiss Kylo fifteen second later, he wouldn't give this up for anything.


End file.
